What should I do if my child sucks his thumb?

Many children actually begin to suck on their fingers or thumb while still in utero and are born that way. there are two types of finger suckers, the passive type who do not cause any structural problems and can be left alone, and ther other are what i call agressive and place a great deal of pressure on the developing upper jaw.If this occures an expensive and time consuming orthodontic problem may develop. Usually children will stop be age 4. if they do not your dentist can make suggestions on how to intercept them problem. Under this age it may be difficult to stop when the child is dependent on the habit for comfort/

How can a mom prevent decay caused by nursing?

Infants who breastfeed and sleep with their infant all night and allow at will breastfeeding may create a situation where the upper front teeth can develop dental decay on the front surfaces of the maxillary teeth. In reality it is not the breastfeeding but rather a very low and tight upper lip attachment, that may trap mother s milk and this in turn can break down to lactice acid and cause decalcification and decay to occur. The prevent this a simple procedure called a frenectomy can release the tight lip and prevent the lip folds from retaining mother s milk. It is always a good idea to wipe an infants teeth off after breastfeeding once the teeth appear

How often should I schedule dentist appointments for my child?

Dental decay is a disease of children and therefore can appear in as little time as six months. Also childen are growing and their oral cavitiy is in a dynamic stateof growth, it is wise to see a dentist every six months to make sure everything is growing correctly.

What should a parent do if their child falls and knocks out a permanent tooth?

When a child knocks out a permanent tooth, the best thing to do is gently wash it off and place it back into the socket as soon a possible. If that is not possible , place it in milk and get to a dentst as soon as possible.